Human Chain “Shows We Are On Our Way, We Are United”

Press Release of the Government of the British Virgin Islands

Wednesday, September 12, 2018 — Scores of persons from various organisations in the BVI joined hands at Long Bay Beach, Beef Island on Saturday September 8 to form a human chain spelling “One BVI” in observance of the first anniversary of Hurricane Irma.

Among those present were Minister of Natural Resources and Labour Dr. the Honourable Kedrick Pickering, who led the initiative along with Premier and Minister of Finance, Dr. the Honourable D. Orlando Smith, OBE, other government ministers and elected officials.

Addressing the participants, Honourable Pickering delivered remarks focused on the impacts of climate change and the need for global action. He said:

“We are to remind ourselves that the world in which we live is now one that is dominated by the effects of the change in the climate around us and it is important for us to continually remember that it is islands like us who are going to suffer the most from the effects of climate change.”

Honourable Pickering further added:

“What we have done this afternoon we hope will be streamed across the world to bring attention to us and what we suffered one year ago but also to show that we are on our way - we are united, we are a resilient people and we are going to continue to rebuild our country.”

Dr. Pickering said he was pleased to see how much the beach has already recovered since the impact of Hurricane Irma. He also expressed his gratitude to the organisations who partnered on the initiative and to the persons who came out to be a part of history making, showing the world that we are united as One BVI.

About The Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States

The Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) is an International Organisation dedicated to economic harmonisation and integration, protection of human and legal rights, and the encouragement of good governance among independent and non-independent countries in the Eastern Caribbean. The OECS came into being on June 18th 1981, when seven Eastern Caribbean countries signed a treaty agreeing to cooperate with each other while promoting unity and solidarity among its Members. The Treaty became known as the Treaty of Basseterre, so named in honour of the capital city of St. Kitts and Nevis where it was signed. The OECS today, currently has eleven members, spread across the Eastern Caribbean comprising Antigua and Barbuda, Commonwealth of Dominica, Grenada, Montserrat, St. Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, St Vincent and The Grenadines, British Virgin Islands, Anguilla, Martinique and Guadeloupe.